Tales of Cray
by MajestyLordBlaster422
Summary: Blaster Blade's adventure in the Planet Cray begins, as his friends help him in discovering an ancient artifact, uncovered only if the five hidden clans have been found. The ancient artifact leads him to his ultimate mission-unlock two of the most powerful units sealed away by Link Joker. Will he be able to unlock the most powerful unit of all before the evil clan arrives?
1. Chapter 1

Hello readers! This will be my first published story. I hope you guys will like it; please leave your comments and suggestions, so it'll be easier to make more and exciting chapters. Well, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the chapter.

**Chapter 1: Blaster Blade**

"Hey, Blaster Blade, wake up, you sleepyhead! We got trouble ahead!" Marron exclaimed.

"Huh… what? What was that?" Blaster Blade rubbed his eyes and stared into the earnest face of a youth too young to be participating in battle. He tilted over and sat up in his temporary wooden bed, its sturdy wooden legs creaking with every move Blaster Blade makes. He reached down through a hole in the bed under his pillow and felt for his sword. The familiar touch of cold, hard steel assured him that his weapon hadn't been touched by anyone except him. Good, he thought. Now, to the problem at hand…

"I said, there's trouble ahead! Tristan had scouted out the forest, just like you ordered last night, but then he returned this morning all beaten up and bruised!" Marron quickly reported. It was clear that he was trying to show his irritation at Blaster Blade, for some reason.

"Who's the perpetrator?" Blaster Blade said as he stood up went to a shelf, and with much creaking, opened the door that revealed the pieces of his majestic white armor. He put on his steel plates, one by one. The large, white chest plate with a red, glowing gem in the middle went last. Finally, he reached out under the bed and brought out his sword, bringing forth a ray of light that made Marron cover his eyes.

"Unfortunately Tristan wasn't able to recognize who was the enemy, since he was in a particularly dark place, and the person who fought him had black armor and a black sword." Marron said while still covering his eyes. "What should we do?"

Black armor, black sword, dark place… the words had surfaced an old memory of his true mission. Blaster Blade's mind began working. His father had once told him that his destiny was to find his lost brother who was taken by a dark force much stronger than him, but Blade will be able to defeat it. His father's description of his brother was exactly the same as what Marron had said. He began to feel… scared, glad and frustrated at the same time. Scared, because his brother had walked down an evil path. Glad, because he will be able to fulfill his destiny, and frustrated because he can't find his gloves.

"Okay Marron, here's what happens. You tell Gallatin that he'll be in charge of the team for a while, and I'll be looking for that guy." He was intent on finding this peculiar knight. But he's not about to tell the team that he suspected that black guy as his lost brother. Not yet, at least. The entire clan knew about his suffering, and they had helped Blade feel better.

"But Gallatin isn't available! His wounds hadn't healed yet. And if you make Wingal the commander, everything will go wrong! Who will you choose?" Marron had a tone of concern weaved into his voice. He was wondering why Blade will be leaving them for the dark guy.

"Then it'll be… Morgana!"

"What!? But she's just a Grade 1! She can't lead the team!"

"You want Stardust to lead? Fine! Stardust Trumpeter shall lead the team!" Blaster Blade said harshly, and left the headquarters. He left Marron in the room looking like he lost the lottery. "Oh, boy… what am I going to tell them? Stardust is too weak and young to be in charge…"

Outside his tent, Blade scanned the scene. He saw his pet Wingal sleeping on a cot, Flogal standing on guard, Govannon cleaning weapons, Epona dusting his armor, and Elaine keeping Tristan and Gallatin company. Seeing her with those two sent of a twinge of jealousy in Blade, and he set upon Gallatin his so-called "royal glare". Elaine didn't seem to notice, but Gallatin did. No words were said, but Gallatin knew well enough to sit up, take his sword and leave.

"Hey, Gallatin, where are you going? You haven't healed completely yet!" Elaine called.

"Uh, nah, I'm fine now. I-I gotta go fix my clothes and weapons, so thanks Elaine." He momentarily forgot that Blade was looking at him, and he blew her a kiss. Blaster Blade glared at Gallatin, who took a glance at him. "I will talk to you later." Blade announced. He gulped and went on to his tent.

"Uhm, Elaine?" Blade cleared his throat.

"Oh, Commander Blade! You're already awake! What a relief. Please let me finish healing Tristan first, so we can speak without interruptions." Elaine said with respect. Blade dislikes it when Elaine calls him Commander. Marron, on the other hand, doesn't respect him by calling him Commander. Elaine had lectured the boy about respect, but he still did not change.

Blade was made Commander of the First Team by King Alfred, and being the King's son, he had never disagreed with his father. He was given the following people under his command. Marron, Wingal, Flogal, Barcgal, Stardust Trumpeter, Starlight Unicorn, Elaine, Govannon, Epona, Tristan, Gallatin, and Morgana. He had not treated them as his units, but as his friends. He was the first Grade 2 in the entire Royal Paladin clan that became a Commander. Alfred had seen potential in his son's eyes, the same way as Blaster Blade's grandfather, Majesty Lord Blaster, had seen potential in Alfred's eyes.

"Um, Elaine, can I ask you something?" Blade said dryly.

"What is it, Commander Blade?" Elaine replied while healing Tristan.

"Can Tristy talk now?"

"H-hey… don't you call me Tristy. My name is Tristan, you hear me?" Tristan croaked. His throat was still rough, and he couldn't speak without feeling pain in his throat. There was also a tone of irritation in his voice. Elaine and Wingal were the only ones who called Blaster Blade commander, and although Stardust doesn't call him that, she respects him and looks up to him as a role model.

Blade surveyed Tristan's wounds. He had a bad blow to the chest, and his throat was damaged. His arm was bandaged tightly, and his foot was also bandaged and splinted with a piece of wood. He had cuts on his chest and face, and there was evidence of blood on his face in the form of a dark pattern similar to a dragon from his hairline down to his chest.

"Tristan, were you able to know which clan the enemy come from?" Blade asked him. Tristan was sitting up in his bed, when Elaine pushed him down again.

"Just rest and think, Tristan. You don't have to stand." Elaine reminded.

"I had a hunch it might be Dark Irregulars," Tristan replied, finding a comfortable position for his aching shoulder. Dark Irregulars were very hostile, especially to those clans who came from the United Sanctuary, and the Royal Paladins always kept away from them. Blade had hazarded a guess that maybe it wasn't his brother who Tristan fought.

"But when he did not use anything aside from his sword, I began to doubt, and thought of other possibilities. But there was never a dark clan that didn't use dark power but fights like a knight. I think he was a knight. Yes, I'm sure of it. I fought a black knight. Kind of strange, right, Blade? Blade?"

Blade was listening until Tristan mentioned the word "knight". His mind was flying. He was unsure if he should go or not. Tristan was badly hurt. Can he handle someone like that? Can he fight someone like that? Especially his brother?

"Gallatin will be in charge of the Team while I'm gone. I will look for that dark knight to give him a real beating. Don't worry Tristan; I'll make him pay for what he did to you." Blade remarked, but his mind was elsewhere. Deep inside, he really did not want to fight his brother, but he did want to see for himself if it really was his brother who fought Tristan.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Dark Glimpse**

Blade was deep within the forest when nighttime fell. He decided to rest in the forest and wait until tomorrow. He built a nice warm bonfire for himself and gathered fallen leaves as his bed. He settled his sword underneath and before he knew it, he was off to Slumberland.

Blaster Blade was dreaming. In the dream, he was back in his father's castle, and he was a little child. There was quite a commotion, and his father was talking to one of the other high ranking knights. He couldn't remember the name, but he definitely remembered him by his face. He looked worried, telling the King about something missing. The King looked at Blaster Blade, and he pretended to look away.

"We must find him fast," the King said to the knight. "I don't want Blade to lose his only brother. He's very young, and he needs his older brother for protection and support, when I'm-"the King cleared his throat and continued, "When I'm gone."

"We swear we will find him, o King. We will not return to this castle until we have found the young knight. Please do not despair anymore. Blade will be over his depression soon." The knight assured King Alfred. He began giving out orders to the other knights waiting patiently by the king's side. He took out a map and hypothesized the areas where his brother could be hiding or kept by whoever kidnapped him. Blade was able to see a portion of it.

The king left his throne and went over to Blade. He put down his magical sword and put his hand on Blade's shoulder. "Don't be sad now, Blade," King Alfred said. "You heard what Sir Hector said. He and his team will not return here until they have found your brother."

Blade woke up disoriented. Slowly he scanned his surroundings, and quickly remembered where he was. He stood up, polished his armor and sword, and started traveling again. He had no idea how to find his lost brother, which, according to Tristan, was a black knight. A sudden crash behind him made Blade whirl around. A tree branch had fallen a silly three centimeters from him. He looked up through the trees, and he saw a dark figure hulking about. Blade hid behind a tree trunk, unsure if the figure had seen him, unsure if the figure was his brother. He still wasn't prepared to battle his brother. Maybe he can talk him into coming with him? What a silly thought, Blade thought.

Slowly, he crept to the edge of the tree, and as he did, another figure also crept to the edge of the same tree. When they both had rounded the tree's circumference, they were face to face. Blade's eyes locked with the stranger's, until his battle instincts told him to push the guy off his face. But as he did, the guy also did the same thing. As a result, both of them skidded backwards and Blade crashed into a fallen tree trunk.

"Who are you? Why are you infiltrating the Royal Paladin's country?" Blade demanded as he stood up and quickly retrieved his sword.

"This is _our_ country! How dare you call this forest yours?" the person retorted.

"Who are you I ask?! Answer, in the name of our King!" Blade yelled, losing his patience.

He left the shadow of the tree above him, exposing his face to Blade, and said, "My name… nobody ever knew my real name. Not even me. That's why I was named after this weapon I am wielding. My name is… Blaster Dark!"

Blaster Blade was immobilized. A lot of things were running through his confused mind. He was intently staring at the earnest, young face in front of him. The posture, the armor, the sword… he was… unmistakably… his…

"Brother?" Blaster Blade was shaking.

"What? Who you calling your brother?" Blaster Dark asked. He was confused and angry at the same time. His opponent, who hadn't even bothered to say his name, is calling him his brother? Apparently, maybe he had a lost brother, and since their faces were a bit identical, he must've mistaken him for his brother.

"It really is you..." Blade continued, letting his sword fall beside him. He slowly trudged towards his so-called lost brother. Blaster Dark was annoyed by this ignorance, and when Blade was within range, he took the opportunity and slashed him full force. Blaster Blade was sent flying backwards, crashing into a large tree before rolling on the ground. He lifted his head off the dirt and looked at his brother with sad, pleading eyes.

"Please, brother. It was an agony not to be beside you every night, when you were gone. I had nobody to play with. I had to train all by myself. I missed you a lot..."

"Shut up! I have no brother! Stop that nonsense!" Dark yelled, but in his heart, he could feel the same, sad feeling of emptiness, as if something... someone was missing from him this whole time. He couldn't understand it, couldn't take it any longer. he can't believe that this stranger... this enemy... had made him feel that way.

"I can't be mistaken. I felt it when I saw you. The same armor pattern, the same sword pattern, the identical face, the first name..." Blaster Blade was desperate. The longing feeling he had ignored all these years had surfaced, making him weak... vulnerable.

Blaster Dark just stood there, his past emotions bombarding him. Then, as fast as he could, he turned and fled.

"No! Don't leave me here, brother... please... brother..." Tears were streaming down Blade's cheeks as he watched Dark melt with the shadows of the forest.


	3. Chapter 3

Ok guys, here's Chapter 3. I'm still not running out of ideas, but a little suggestion can make it better. Sorry if this chapter's a bit short. I kinda got into a little problem back at school, that's why this chapter's short. But don't worry, i'll try my best to make the succeeding chapters more... _interesting. _And don't forget to leave reviews, ok? It's fun to read your reviews about my story. And I think I'll be responding to some reviews, too.

**Chapter 3: Into the Stronghold**

Blaster Blade was left there, unable to move, unable to do anything. His body wanted to move, fetch his sword, and follow his brother. But his mind protested against it. He was bombarded by emotions that he had reined in for almost 20 years. His body was paralyzed by the emotions, coming and swirling around him, threatening to rip off his sanity. Slowly, his mental defense against the emotions degraded, until he was vulnerable, exposed. Tears continued to dribble down his cheeks, and he might have cried there for eternity if not for Wingal. He heard him flying towards him. He did not move, didn't take any action to hide his tears. Instead, he let Wingal reach him.

"B-Blaster Blade! What happened? Why are you… crying?" He asked, concern weaving its way into his voice.

"Wingal… I have found him…" Blade answered in between sobs.

"What have you found?"

"I found… him…"

"You mean… you have found… your brother?"

"Yes, but… he did not remember me. He didn't know me! He forgot all about me!" Blade finally rose, gripping the soil with his hands.

"Get a hold of yourself! If you have found him, then go get him! You love him right? He's your brother! Come on! I'll help you." Wingal took Blade's sword and gave it to him. "Here. Now come on."

Blade took hold of his sword, and new strength flowed through him. He stood up, dusted his armor, and looked at the direction his brother went.

"Blaster Dark, I'll take you home now."

It took Blaster Dark a while to reach his base. There, the guard posted at the gate quickly let him through. He went straight to his cabin, a small, black bungalow with a hanging sign saying "Home Sweet Home".

Inside, Doranbau was busy licking the crumbs from his plate, while Blaster Javelin was washing the dishes.

"Hey, Dark-yo! Where'd you go anyway-yo?" He asked while rinsing a plate.

"Nowhere. Just scouted out the forest. Can I have a glass of water?" Javelin ceased scrubbing and handed Dark a glass of water. He drank it down in a few gulps. He returned the glass to Javelin.

"What did you see, anyway? Were there some intruders?" Doranbau asked.

"N-no, there was no one."

"Well then, why are you exhausted?"

"I ran all the way here."

"Okay then," Doranbau remarked, but he did not take his eyes off Dark as he stood up and stretched on his bed. Doranbau was skeptical about what Dark told him. _Did he meet someone in the woods?_ He asked himself. To be sure, he himself left the cabin to scout out the woods on his own.

"I see someone coming!" Wingal said to Blade, and both of them reached up a tree, where they were hidden by the large, green leaves. As they waited, the said newcomer came into sight. It was sniffing the air suspiciously. Wingal gasped and tugged at Blaster Blade.

"It's Doranbau!" he whispered forcibly.

"Who's Doranbau?" he replied.

"When we were young, Doranbau was your brother's pet, same way as I'm your pet. We were the best of friends back then, but when your brother, Blaster Dark, disappeared mysteriously, he came to me to say he'll find his master. He said he'll come back in a few days, but he never did." Wingal explained with feeling in his voice.

Doranbau sensed something… someone. He became alert and spied every tree around him. He sniffed the air and smelled a familiar scent. A memory of a friend, a promise to come back… he couldn't remember it. As he looked up, he saw a small, dog-like figure hulking about in the shadows of the tree's leaves. He bared his fangs and growled at the creature.

"Doranbau?" Wingal voiced out.

"That voice… it's unmistakably… Wingal!?" Doranbau exclaimed.

Like two friends who have not seen each other for so long, they bit and nuzzled each other-a dog's way to greet a long lost friend. Blaster Blade watched the scene from his perch, unsure if he should get down and introduce himself or stay there to keep safe.

"Where have you been? What happened to you?" Wingal asked after they have greeted each other.

"Well, my master, Blaster Dark, I found him taken by this… clan. They took me in, since I explained that he's my master, and I followed him. Doranbau explained patiently.

"I have someone with me." Wingal called Blaster Blade from the tree. In a moment, he was by Wingal's side.

"Hi. I'm Blaster Blade, Wingal's master." He smiled with practiced confidence.

"Yes, I remember you. You're the one who fed me when my master's out fighting. Or training, as he calls it." Doranbau reminisced in the memory. "Well, I know why you guys are here. You're welcome to our base, as long as you guys keep hidden. You can use a black blanket as cover. Wingal, you don't need cover, cause I'm your cover." he assured Wingal.

After a few minutes of walking, Blaster Blade, Wingal and Doranbau made it to the entrance of the base. "Well guys, here we are. Welcome to the base of the Shadow Paladins!"


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys. Sorry if this chapter was a bit late. I was a bit busy with our school activity, that I had no time to write this down. And I sure appreciate the reviews. They keep me going on. As for the story, soon the war will begin. War between what? You'll have to wait. (Trying to make cliffhanger effect)

**Chapter 4: In Hot Pursuit**

While inside the Shadow Paladin's base, Blaster Blade was so nervous about getting caught, that when Wingal tugged at him to point out something, he jumped. The result was comical. As Blaster Blade jumped, his foot fell right on Doranbau's tail, sending a screech out of him.

"What is wrong with you!?" Wingal yelled at Blade.

"S-sorry… I'm tense… we might get caught…" he explained nervously. "Anyway, what was it you wanted to show me?"

"Look there." Wingal pointed at a large, black house that looked more like a castle than a house. "Doranbau explained that Mordred Phantom lives there. Mordred Phantom is this base's Chief."

"We have to leave. Now." Doranbau suddenly remarked, leading Wingal and Blaster Blade towards the gate.

"Why?" Wingal asked.

"My screech is a means to call Blaster Dark. If he heard it, he'll find me." Doranbau told them, while he was leading them through the streets.

"Doranbau! Who're those two?" Blaster Dark asked from the roof of a house. Blaster Blade faced him and his emotions welled up again, loosening his grip on his camouflage cloak.

That exact moment, a strong wind blew in their direction, ripping Blaster Blade's cloak from him. He tried to follow it, but it was caught by a hand with black gloves. He quickly put a hand to his sword as the tall, heavily armored man stepped forward and sized him up.

"Who are you? And why are you in our base?" Mordred Phantom coldly asked.

"I am Blaster Blade from the clan of Royal Paladins." He said calmly to Mordred Phantom. "I am not here to make problems for you. I am here to take my lost brother home." He gestured at Blaster Dark.

With such swiftness that even Blaster Dark was surprised, Mordred Phantom took out his sword and slashed Blaster Blade. However, Blade was the faster, guarding the attack with his own sword. Mordred Phantom snickered and resheathed his sword. Blaster Blade did the same.

"You do know you are trespassing our country by setting foot in our forest?" Mordred said to Blade.

"For your information, this forest and everything beyond is the land of the Royal Paladins. You are the ones who are trespassing." Blaster Blade replied without fear. He had seen gigantic dragons and fought them. This is nothing compared to that, he thought.

"Guards! Seize this trespasser!" Mordred yelled. As quick as lightning, a hundred or so black knights began circling him, Blaster Dark among them. "The Royal Paladins haven't respected our country's boundaries. As a consequence, we shall capture you and slay you. We will get word to your clan. If they do not respect our boundaries, we shall kill you."

Blaster Blade stuck his sword to the ground. A bolt of lightning spread out and blinded the oppressors for a minute, allowing sufficient time for Blaster Blade and Wingal to escape. Mordred flew into a rage after he regained his eyesight. "Guards! Follow that imbecile and kill him! I want to see his head!"

A hundred meters away…

"We're being followed!" Wingal told Blade.

"I know. We'll return to base." Blade replied.

"But… we don't have enough manpower to repel them!"

"We'll have to retreat. You tell King Alfred, so he may muster up enough knights to repel and possibly, capture that base."

"But what are you going to do?"

"I'm gonna hold them off until you guys have escaped." Blade said. Wingal scoffed at the remark. "You seriously think you can hold them off? They will make short work of you! By the time reinforcements have arrived, you'd be already dead!"

"I'm the Commander, Wingal. I'll hold them off." He replied firmly.

When they had reached the base, Flogal was still guarding. Elaine had completely healed Tristan, who was on his feet already. Govannon and the rest of them were nowhere in sight. Gallatin was practicing his swordsmanship on a wooden dummy. He saw Blaster Blade arrive, and he quickly fled to his quarters.

"Everyone! Come here right this instant!" Blaster Blade called out. Instantly, all the units under his command appeared before him, including Gallatin. He cowered behind Morgana, trying to hide from Blaster Blade. The rest were either sitting on the ground or standing. They all looked confused, wondering why Blade had called them. Blade cleared his throat, counted his units, and laid his sword by his side.

"We are going to return to the Royal Capital. An army will be raging through here any minute, and we cannot hold them off. Gallatin…" Gallatin was shocked when his name was called. "You will lead the Team back to the capital. I will stay here and try to keep them from getting to the capital." Gallatin sighed heavily.

Morgana stood up and said, "Hell no! We ain't going nowhere! This girl's staying here to defend the capital. You won't make me leave."

"Same goes for me," Stardust Trumpeter added.

Blaster Blade's shoulders drooped. He knew this was going to happen.

In his hand, he palmed the rolled piece of paper, tied together by the Royal Seal of the Knights. "I-I need someone to deliver this message to King Alfred." He tried to keep the bossy tone in his voice, but it quivered. As a result, they all stared at him. He let out a sigh and said in a defeated tone, "Alright. I'll bring the message. But I'll be back as soon as I can. And please..." he added in a pleading tone, "don't hurt my brother, okay?" And with that, he turned and ran in the direction of the capital.

"What'd he mean, 'don't hurt my brother'? I don't get it..." Morgana said.

"Blaster Blade found his brother. However, his brother had joined this new clan called Shadow Paladins, which is the same army he's talking about." Wingal explained to everyone listening. After his speech, no one spoke.

Tristan tried to break the monotony. "What'll we do now?"

Silence.

They all stood there, not knowing what to do, staring at each other, waiting for someone to lead. Morgana said in a melancholy tone, "This is my fault. We should have listened to Blaster Blade. He's the Commander, after all."

"So, what do you suggest we do?" Gallatin asked.

That moment, a plume of smoke rose from the forest, and there was Mordred Phantom, riding atop a black horse, with a hundred or so black knights trailing behind him. "There's the trespasser's base! Destroy it and seize the valuables!" He noticed the group of knights huddled together. "Kill them!" He ordered.

Like frenzied cheetahs, the Royal knights ran into different directions. They merely wanted to escape the army. They all regrouped at a large tree, behind the tall grasses. "Those knights won't reach us here." Gallatin commented.

"But they might have followed Blade instead!" Flogal exclaimed.

"Oh, no..." Wingal said.

"What should we do?" Marron asked.

"Even if we try to follow the army, they'll outrun us and soon overtake Blade." Morgana remarked.

"So we just have to put our trust in Blade." Starlight Unicorn commented. The others agreed.


	5. Chapter 5

I'm back! The story's heating up now... we're getting to the exciting part-the War. War against who? By now you should already know. And thanks to those who keep leaving reviews for my work. Last night, I continued chapter 5 even though it's past midnight. Couldn't sleep...

blue4storm4magus:

Thanks man! I really appreciate it. Hope more like you can read my story.

**Chapter 5: Preparation**

Meanwhile, Blaster Blade had also seen the plume of smoke coming up from the forest behind him. He ran faster and securely held the letter. The terrain was favorable, with grassy plains and little or no rocks. Finally, after almost an hour of running, he made it to the capital, the Royal City of Knights.

(author's note: The knights in this story, although they are considered as humans, they have considerably more strength and stamina than normal humans, explaining how Blaster Blade ran for an hour at a very fast speed, where a normal human couldn't have made it.)

When Blaster Blade arrived at the castle, he went straight to the Throne Room. He surveyed the room. Six knights were in the room, guarding the King. The King himself, Blaster Blade's father, was sitting on the Throne Room, looking perplexed by his son's return.

"Well, Blade my boy. What's the hurry? Any problems?" The King, although the highest official of the Royal Paladin's Knight Quarter, treats everyone as if he were no more than them. Even so, he still has that aura of authority that reminds other people that he's the King.

"King Alfred-"

"Father," Alfred corrected him. "Call me father."

Blade nodded and resumed. "Father, I have a letter here for you, from...well, me." His shoulders shrugged.

Alfred stood up and took the letter from his son's hands. he untied the Royal Seal of the Knights and started reading. His face changed from calm to concerned, and he quickly left the letter on his Throne. "Where's the rest of your Team?" Alfred asked.

"T-they wanted to stay behind to hold off the army. I tried to persuade them to go instead and leave me there, but-"

"That is a very dangerous idea, Blade. I do believe that you can hold, even defeat, an army. But I'm afraid that this army is not just any army we have fought. An army of black knights, led by this Mordred Phantom guy, is a serious threat to our capital. But now, my top priority is your friends. Go back to your base, and I shall send reinforcements to support you."

As an obedient knight, Blaster Blade agreed and quickly retraced his steps. He hazarded a guess that he might meet the army on his way. But to his surprise, he reached their wrecked base without any confrontation. He theorized that he might be in a trap, and a worse thought entered his mind. _What if they had already killed my friends?_ Blade thought. He reminded himself that worrying will do him no good, and he started looking for his friends.

Back at the capital, King Alfred had already sent messages to the other 3 teams to return immediately to the capital to fend off an attack. That night, he couldn't sleep. He was worried about Blaster Blade and his team. He hoped that the 3 teams will be able to make it back to the capital by tomorrow morning. He assured himself with that thought and went to his bed.

But still, there was something nagging his mind. He couldn't shake off the feeling of danger. Being the son of Majesty Lord Blaster, he was granted with a portion of his dad's powers, so he can tell if something bad will happen. Now, it was warning him. Majesty told him that the only way to make certain is to consult the legendary dragon of the Royal Paladins, Soul Saver Dragon. But his home is on the top of a tall, steep and icy mountain, filled with dangerous traps and optical illusions.

When Alfred was still young, he was a renowned knight among the Royal Paladins. His fame even reached the Dragon Empire, where the leading clan, Kagero, sought to extinguish every clan until only dragons remained. There, Dragonic Waterfall, the highest official in the Kagero clan and therefore the highest official of the Dragon Empire, had heard about him.

Having heard of Alfred, one night he brought together all the clans from the Dragon Empire. "My fellow dragons! I have heard about a powerful knight that has been slaying dragons at the border of our nation. If we do not take action, soon all of us will be dead." He said to his fellow dragons. They all seemed bothered by their predicament.

"Now, it is important to note to what clan he belongs. According to my spies, the said knight is from the Royal Paladins. After a few days of preparation, we shall attack them and lay waste to their land for good. The dragons shall soon rule the world!"

The same night, Alfred couldn't sleep. There was something he couldn't comprehend, a feeling of foreboding. He kept remembering his father's words. "If there is something that you cannot understand, go to Mount Soulvar. There, the legendary dragon Soul Saver lives. Only he can interpret your premonitions."

The next day, he went to Mount Soulvar to consult Soul Saver. After a hazardous trek, he made it to the top. There, Soul Saver Dragon stood, his bright wings flapping gracefully, his eyes sparkling like diamonds. There, Alfred learned the Dragon Empire's plan. Through Soul Saver's help, they banded with the Gold Paladins, their longtime ally, and Oracle Think Tank to repel the Dragon Empire's attack.

Back to the present…

There was a knock on the door. "King Alfred?"

Alfred sat up in his bed. To rouse him from his sleep, there must be an emergency. Not that he was sleeping. He stood up and opened the door. There, Blaster Blade stood, with his team behind him.

"Blaster Blade! You've made it back! And with your friends!" Alfred said with happiness.

"Yes, Kin-"he cleared his throat and continued, "Yes father. I found them safe and sound. But the opponent…"

"Their army was mysteriously gone. Last time we saw it, it was headed directly for the capital. We all worried that it might destroy the city. But to our amazement and wonder, the army wasn't here when we got here." Gallatin said.

"I think the enemy will attack tomorrow afternoon." Marron suddenly said.

"Well? What made you think about that?" Alfred asked.

"The army's black knights, when I saw them, they were carrying bags. And they looted our camp for food and water, not valuables. Meaning they might have considered the possibility of reinforcements. So they must have camped somewhere near the capital."

"But camping won't do them any good." Tristan remarked.

Marron thoughtfully wiped off some stains on his glasses. "Well, it depends on the reason. If they camped to refresh, then they just wasted their time. But if they camped to wait for reinforcements, then…"

They all stood there, waiting for someone to talk. The cool eastern wind from the sea blew in through the King's open window. Somewhere in the hills, a creature howled.

"Anyway, it will do us no good to just stand here and make theories. All of you, return to your rooms. Tomorrow, go to the Throne Room, Marron. I want to speak to you." The King ordered. They gladly went to their rooms and rested peacefully.

The next day, Marron and the King discussed their battle plans. Alfred was thankful to his son for having trained such a boy to become an intelligent sage.

"King Alfred, the 3 teams have arrived." A knight said to him.

"Let them in," he ordered.

The Throne Room's door opened, and there was the 2nd team's Commander, Crimson Butterfly, Brigitte. To his right was the 3rd team's Commander, the Knight of Conviction, Bors. To the left, there was the legendary Solitary Knight, Gancelot. They all gave their mission papers to the King.

"Have all of you rested?" Alfred asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Our units have replenished their strength completely." Brigitte said. Of all the knights Alfred knew, he was the most respectful, even to lower ranking knights.

"Good, because we are expecting visitors. Be prepared."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Brigitte and Bors left the room. Gancelot was left there, looking melancholic, very unlike his usual self. "What happened, Gancelot?" Alfred asked.

"Well, you see, sir, our team was passing through this bridge when…"

"When?"

"When Alfred Early…" he broke down and cried. Alfred stood up and patted him on the back. "Go on, continue."

"H-he fell into the river. I-I warned h-him it's d-dangerous to swing at the cables, but he still continued. W-we tried to look for him, but…" Gancelot's voice was filled with sadness. The king looked out into the window, into the far mountains. He tried to keep the tears from falling, but with Alfred Early being his little brother…

"I'm sorry, dad. I-I wasn't able to protect my brother like you said."

Suddenly, a fireball entered the room and narrowly missed the King. Gancelot pushed him to the side and covered him while the fireball crashed into the ceiling, destroying the roof in the process. Sunlight streamed through the hole, with pieces of tiles and splintered wood falling on them. Gancelot and Alfred dried their tears and prepared their sword.

The door literally flew as Blaster Blade kicked it off its hinges. "Father! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Blade." Alfred dusted his shoulder.

"The army seems to have arrived. We miscalculated their distance." Blade said hastily. "Come! The Throne Room isn't safe anymore!"

Alfred, Blade and Gancelot ran through the halls. Finally, they made it outside, where a hundred black knights were being held back by Alfred's army. Behind them, the Chief of the opposing army sneered at them.

Alfred revealed his broadsword. "The War has begun."


	6. Chapter 6

The 6th chapter! here's where the battle against Royal Paladins and Shadow Paladins begin. It took a lot out of me to make this, because I'm not good at this kind of stuff. Well, as lightus of the light said, let the battle begin!

**Chapter 6:** **Light vs. Shadow**

The sound of clashing metal filled the battlefield as the Royal Paladin knights defended themselves against the Shadow Paladin knight's attack. Beyond the opposing knights, there was Mordred Phantom, his sword on the ready, his eyes filled with seething rage. Beside him, Blaster Dark stood with the matching fiery eyes. On the opposite side, the King of Knights, Alfred glared at Mordred Phantom, his broadsword swinging and ready for battle.

Blaster Blade watched the two with growing anxiety. _Will they fight or not?_ He kept asking himself. Beside him, the Solitary Knight, Gancelot watched in awe and concern at the knights fighting. Swords swinging, armors clashing, and blood spouting from the wounds of both sides.

"Blade, go and help your comrades. Gancelot, stay beside me. I'll need you on this one." He gestured at Mordred Phantom.

"Dark, counter the knights. I'll take care of the big fish." Mordred ordered to Blaster Dark.

"Yes, sir," Dark said, and with a powerful leap, he launched himself high into the sky, pointed his sword earthwards, and he landed with a sickening crunch, sending a wave of black energy tumbling towards Blaster Blade. Raising his sword, he easily blocked the attack, but when he lowered it, Dark was already in front of him. There was no time to guard against his attack.

"Hiya!" Dark yelled as he swiped his sword, effectively striking Blade and flinging him backwards. His other allies cheered on him.

"That attack was splendid-yo!" Blaster Javelin said. Dark ignored the compliment and merely said, "Be on your guard. I'm telling you this: do not underestimate them. They are not small fry."

That moment, Blade was on his feet. He held his sword firmly, and it glowed brightly. Dark was momentarily blinded, giving Blade a chance. He stuck the sword into the ground, and a bolt of lightning traveled from Blade's sword to Dark.

"Arrgh!" Dark yowled in pain as he was struck. Quickly, Javelin and Nemain guarded him, blocking Blade's path to Dark. "You shall not pass!" Nemain declared. Around them, sounds of clashing steel filled the air, and Blade thought it was a miracle how he heard her speak clearly.

Blade placed his both of his hands on his sword handle, doing his famous pose. "You know, miss, I really regret doing this, but hurting you with my sword will be messy, since you have little armor on."

Nemain growled at him. "How dare you belittle me!? I am not as weak as you think, Mr. Good Guy! I'll show you!" she raised her hands and a black energy ball appeared. She shot Blade with it, and she was certain it hit the target, but after the smoke dissipated, Blade was nowhere to be seen, leaving his sword standing, obviously blocking Nemain's energy ball. She shrieked with anger.

"Show yourself, coward!" Nemain yelled.

"Calm down, miss." He said in a flirting way, intended to annoy his opponent. Nemain gasped at the voice from behind her. "I'm just behind you." He hit her on the neck with a karate chop, which put her to sleep. "Hope you have sweet dreams."

Blaster Dark was groggy from the bolt, but when he saw Blade hit Nemain on the neck, all feelings of pain vanished. Slowly, his sword glowed pitch-black, and he stood up. Javelin heard Dark get up, and he moved out of the way.

"You little prick. For what you did to my fiancé, I'll break every bone you have in that body. And I'll open up your gut and make you eat your liver and stomach." He said it in a grim, almost creepy way. Blade's instincts told him to back off, but his instincts were a split second too late. Dark vanished from his sight, only to reappear behind him and deliver a spine-crushing kick to his back.

"AAAGGH!" Blade screamed in agony as he crashed straight into a boulder, his face smashing into the rough, hard surface. His standing sword was hit as well, which slid a few meters from him. His eyesight was blurry, and every move he makes sends a fresh burst of pain through his entire body. As he tried to get up, he saw 3 blurry images of Blaster Dark walking towards him.

He tried to crawl away but his legs refused, sending waves of pain up his thighs. He had no time to think about his predicament, because as he looked up, Dark had his glowing blade in a downward arc. He shut his eyes and waited for the blade to strike home.

"CLANG!"

"W-what?" Blade slowly opened his eyes. A sword blocked the blade's deadly arc, held by his best friend, Gancelot. "Sorry, man. The King ordered me to help him fight Mored, Modred… ah! Whatever. What's important is I'm here."

Blaster Dark was clearly angry at Gancelot for blocking his supposedly killing attack. He leapt back and joined his comrades. Further on, the clash of swords were still audible. All of a sudden, there was a great cry, and a knight flew into the air, struck by something powerful. It took Blade a few seconds to realize that the knight was-

"King Alfred!" Gancelot called, and quickly left Blade's side, following the falling form of the King. He caught the king and jumped back beside Blade. He called a few other knights to guard them. Instantly, Gallatin, Tristan and Morgana came to Gancelot's aid, followed by Elaine.

"Oh no, Your Majesty! What has happened?" Elaine cried in shock.

"I-it was… him…" Alfred could barely point out Mordred Phantom, who was advancing towards them with grim purpose. Some of the other knights tried to attack him from different sides, but he was able to deflect all with ease. Gallatin held his sword tight, while Tristan took a step backward. Morgana, however, ran to block him directly.

"This is as far as you'll go." Morgana bravely announced to Mordred Phantom's face. He wrinkled his nose and with a powerful swipe, pushed aside Morgana, who skidded for a good 20 meters before stopping completely.

Both Gallatin and Tristan gaped in horror at Morgana, then at Mordred Phantom. He was still advancing. "Okay, Tristan. You've been a good friend to me, and If I ever have one last wish, I'd rather die with you." Gallatin whispered.

"That sounded so gay, man. I'd rather die defending the King." Tristan replied.

Suddenly, Mordred Phantom charged at them, intent on breaking trough them. Gallatin and Tristan stepped forward and tried to stop or at least slow him down, but at that moment…

"Hah!" Blaster Blade leapt out of nowhere and his sword collided with Mordred Phantom's attack. His maneuver was sufficient to stop Mordred in his tracks.

For a moment, they were there, trying to overpower each other. Their faces were close enough for Blaster Blade to whisper, "If you don't leave now, we'll be forced to crush you and your army."

Mordred replied, "Oh? Our backup is already on its way, and even without reinforcements, my army can destroy this pitiful city."

In a flash, Gancelot was up and slashing at Mordred. At the same time, Blade took advantage of Mordred's momentarily confusion and overpowered him. The sudden push left him stunned, unable to block the attack coming from Gancelot.

"Yaarggh!" Mordred howled as the blade bit through his skin. Gancelot had concentrated on a spot on his chest which wasn't protected by armor, and his hard work had paid off. Mordred fell on the ground with a thud, blood pouring out of his wound. He struggled to stand up.

"That's the last straw. My comrades are here!" Mordred cried, noticing the arrival of more knights-and aside from them, dragons.

"This just got a whole lot harder." Tristan said.

"Don't worry." Blaster Blade assured. "We have Alfred."


	7. Chapter 7

I'm back! Sorry if this chapter took too long to be posted. Two consecutive storms ravaged our country, and it was hard to write this down with the electricity off. And before reading this chapter, I'll ask a question. Do you want this book to last 25 chapters but with a sequel, or 75 chapters in one whole book? I can't finish this story in just a few chapters, so I'm asking this to you. And thanks to those who still read and leave reviews for my work!

**Chapter 7: Champions on the Battlefield**

The sun was already overhead, but the shadow knights and royal knights were still battling each other, with the shadow knights trying to break through the Royal knight's defenses, while the Royal knights were struggling to protect their capital.

"RAAAH!" The opposing knights kept slashing at the Royal Paladins. Tristan couldn't hold out any longer if this continued. Gallatin was losing his strength as well. Morgana's arms were already sore from holding her sword up too long. The rest of the Royal Paladin knights were either exhausted or already down. Both Marron and Gancelot watched this scene with growing concern.

"If this continued, the opponent might destroy the capital," Marron said to Gancelot, who nodded in agreement.

"There must be something to be done. But what?" Gancelot asked himself. His mind couldn't find a solution to their seemingly dangerous predicament. Even Marron's brain, which was used to creating and planning complex and difficult battle strategies, wasn't able to find a logical answer to their problem.

Suddenly...

"CRASH!" A lightning strike on the battlefield scattered the black knights, blinding allies and foes alike. Everyone looked to the figure hidden within the smoking remains of the plain's tall grasses. When the white smokescreen had dissipated, Alfred was there, riding atop his flame-maned horse, raising his glowing broadsword. Elaine had done her work well healing the King.

"Royal Paladins!" Alfred yelled. "Thou hast no need to fight anymore. Put all of thy trust in me. I shall defeat our opponents, and banish them from our land for ever." Alfred's transformation had made him temporarily immortal. As a result, his language also changed, and his power increased altogether.

Gallatin, Tristan, Morgana, and the other Royal Paladin knights bowed to him, and he glowed brightly. The black knights gaped at this scene. Even Mordred Phantom, who was being dragged from the battlefield, was awestruck.

As if told by an unseen person, Alfred's horse sped forward and rammed the black knights. He slashed his sword here, there, and everywhere. Finally, he made it to his destination-Mordred Phantom. He raised his sword and it glowed brighter. The knights helping Mordred Phantom ran away in fear, leaving him stranded, unable to stand, unable to evade Alfred's attack.

"Let those who obey and respect me have eternal peace, and those who disobey and hate me have eternal suffering." Alfred said to Mordred. "Banishing thee is not an option. Thou art to be destroyed under my sword. Begone forever! Royal Strike!"

Mordred's face was filled with mixed emotions. He was silently vowing, cursing Alfred. As he saw the downward arc of the Royal Broadsword, his final words rung in Alfred's ears, "I will return to this realm, and I will seek revenge! Never forget this day, Alfred!" And with that, the blade struck home, spraying blood on the ground. The glowing sword finished its work, and the black knights stared at the severed head of Mordred Phantom in disbelief and horror. They all took a step back and fled the battlefield.

Blaster Dark was confused. Why were his comrades fleeing? As the fleeing mass of black cleared, he caught sight of Mordred Phantom. Blaster Dark's body shook with grief, and he couldn't do anything but slump into a grieving, crying form. Then, he stopped. The air around him changed, and the Royal Paladin knights felt it, too. With a loud shriek, Blaster Dark stood and was engulfed in spinning, black forms of darkness. The fleeing knights saw this, and stopped running. Instead, they slowly returned to the battlefield.

"This doesn't look good..." Gancelot said.

Meanwhile, the spinning mass of darkness split, and an entirely different unit emerged from the blanket of black. A great black dragon wielding a double spear appeared, and Blaster Dark was nowhere to be found. The dragon roared with ferocity, and the Royal knights took a step back.

All this time, Blaster Blade was observing Blaster Dark. When he disappeared mysteriously, he began to suspect something. He was about to warn Alfred when the dragon burst forward, intent on ripping Alfred apart. The King did not move from his place, instead he raised his sword, which glowed again.

The other Shadow Paladins clashed with the beaten up Royal Paladins again, with renewed strength. Blaster Javelin was busy slashing at Gallatin, who was still in defensive mode. He was too exhausted to retaliate, and when he lowered his sword to rest, Javelin landed a vicious attack on Gallatin. The force of it sent him tumbling into a tree. Tristan and Morgana ran to his aid, blocking several black knights with their swords.

"Man, you okay?" Tristan crouched beside him, while Morgana protected them.

"No, I-I don't think so..." Gallatin moaned.

"I have to get to Elaine. Morgana, stay here and defend Gallatin. I'll fetch Elaine. Here's your sword. Defend yourself if necessary." And with that, Tristan took off in search of the Yggdrasil Maiden.

"There you are. I wanted to finish the job, but my blow was a little too strong, and you ended up flying too far. But, no worries, I'm here, and that's what matters. I'll end your miserable life, right here, right now!" Blaster Javelin suddenly appeared behind the tree Gallatin was leaning on. In a flash, Morgana was beside him and swinging. Blaster Javelin was sneering at her while blocking her attacks.

With an on-time counterattack from Blaster Javelin, Morgana landed into some thorn bushes. "Yow!" She screamed as the thorns pricked her skin.

"Now, where was I? Oh yeah, I was going to kill you." Javelin returned to Gallatin. He raised his spear, aiming at Gallatin's heart. "That sword of yours will do you no good. Now die!" Gallatin tried to stand, but he fell back with a groan. As he did, he caught a glimpse of the black dragon, about to strike the fallen Alfred.

"I will not die today, Javelin." And with that, he removed his blindfolds, revealing white, bright eyes that stunned Javelin. At the same moment, a head-wrenching headache wracked Gallatin, and he screamed.

Javelin was disoriented. "Hey, what the-"

He never finished his sentence, because after Gallatin blinked, a powerful blast of _solid light_ flattened everything in front of him. It was akin to an explosion, only it was guided. The black knights were blown away, and others rolled. Blaster Javelin, who was directly in front of the blast, disappeared. The black dragon was distracted, making him stagger a few steps. It was sufficient for Alfred to recover and make his payback._  
_

Meanwhile, Gallatin's eyes were already bleeding when he decided to close them again. The blast stopped, and the Royal knights weren't affected. They recovered fast and took on the Shadow Paladins.

"Gallatin! What happened?" Tristan said when he had returned with Elaine. Gallatin couldn't look at him. Tristan noticed the blood from Gallatin's eyes, and the blindfold. His breath hitched in his throat. He took Gallatin by the shoulders and shook him.

Gallatin's eyes were closed shut. Blood was evident on his cheeks. "You did not use it, did you?" Tristan asked. He was near tears. "Answer me! You did not use it, right? Tell me you didn't!" Elaine was confused. She couldn't understand what was happening.

"Sorry Tristan, the King was in trouble, and so was I. Being blind forever is better than dead, right?" He replied. Tristan hugged him and they both cried.

"Okay, somebody better fill me in on this," Elaine sternly interrupted. Tristan and Gallatin dried their tears. "Sorry, Elaine. You see..."

"Who are you? Where did you come from, and where's Blaster Dark?" Blaster Blade demanded while pointing his sword at the dragon. Alfred's counterattack had paid off, and they had the dragon on its knees.

"I am Phantom Blaster Dragon, and Blaster Dark summoned me here to deal with you and your pitiful army. You see, Blaster Dark agreed with me that if he ever needed help, he can call onto me, provided that he will be staying inside me while I'm here." The dragon replied as he stood up.

"Well, you won't be staying out here for long, since my blade will be finishing you off." Blade said.

"If you kill me, Blaster Dark will die as well."

"What?!"

"That's right. I know that he's your brother, that's why you, or no other opponent, can kill me if you want your dear brother to live." Phantom Blaster Dragon loomed over Blade.

Blaster Blade looked at Alfred. His eyes were blank, showing no emotion. Blaster Blade knew that this will prevail as long as the King is in Immortal Mode, or as the Royal Paladins usually call the Enlightened Mode. To enter Enlightened Mode, the King must connect with a legendary dragon through his mind. Then, the dragon will grant him permission if the reason is reasonable enough. But after using it, the King will experience extreme fatigue and sickness that usually lasts for a week, depending on how long he used it.

If his comrades bow down to him or show him some other form of respect, he glows and his strength increases dramatically, as if the units were lending their power to him.

Blaster Blade faced Phantom Blaster Dragon. he was undecided. he couldn't hit Phantom Blaster Dragon because he was afraid that he might kill him. But his comrades were counting on him to defeat this dragon. Alfred wasn't even fazed when he learned that Blaster Dark was in Phantom Blaster Dragon's soul. So only Blade was concerned for his brother's safety. But his comrades were concerned for their own safeties for the moment...

"We're falling apart!" Tristan yelled to Brigitte.

"I know, but there's nothing we can do," He replied.

"How about we drop the swords?" Marron suggested.

"That will make the situation worse," Morgana said.

"No, I mean let's use our special skills," he replied with a strange look in his eyes. Tristan, Morgana, Brigitte and the rest of the army shone at this. They quickly dropped their swords.

"It will be less tiresome to use our special skills than use the sword, right?" Tristan commented as he took out his harp. Marron nodded and revealed his book, filled with knowledge and power. Morgana took out a rose from her sleeve and said, "Let the opponents feel the sting of our special skills!"

Tristan played his harp, whose sound filled the battlefield. The clashing stopped, and the Royal Paladins felt refreshed, powered up by Tristan's music. The black knights, on the other hand, became confused, allowing the rest of the Royal knights to take them out. Brigitte flew up and raised his hands. A ball of flame appeared floating between his palms, and with this, he attacked the enemy. He let out a small laugh.

"Wow, I didn't know you could do that." Marron said to Brigitte.

Morgana summoned roses from her sleeve and she used it like a kunai, throwing it at her opponents. She threw something like dust into the air, and the black knights watched it with awe.

"It's... sparkling..." Rugos wondered. Suddenly, Charon sneezed.

"It's pollen! Stay away from it!" Rugos yelled, but it was too late for Charon. The pollen hit the ground and sprouted, entangling Charon in a branch of rose bushes.

"Yo-ow!" He screamed as the thorns pricked him. Morgana broke out into a laugh.

"Fall back! Shadow Paladins, fall back!" Arawn commanded as he saw the Royals overcoming the Shadows. If he let this continue, they will suffer more casualties. Venomous Breath Dragon sneered at Arawn.

"Hey, what's the big deal falling back?" He said.

"It's the smart thing to do." Arawn replied firmly.

"Falling back is for losers," Venomous Breath Dragon retorted. To the retreating knights he called out, "No one retreats! We shall hold out until reinforcements come!"

Arawn faced the awful stare of Venomous Breath Dragon. "There are no coming reinforcements. If we do not retreat this instant, we'll all perish."

"Oh yeah? What if I told you that the Lord is coming over?"

"What? He is?"

"Yes, he'll definitely come."

Arawn had a problematic look on his eyes. He could see the struggle of his knights, and wondered if they could last long until the Lord arrives. Venomous Breath Dragon looked out into the horizon, thinking deeply. On the other side...

A cloaked person walked towards the castle gates. Bedivere noticed this and quickly blocked the unknown person.

"Sir, you are not allowed to enter the castle gates." Bedivere told the stranger.

"But I have to talk to someone!" He complained.

"Who do you want to talk to?" Bedivere asked.

"I want to have a little chat with King Alfred."

"How dare you?! No stranger ever says that boldly!"

The stranger removed his cloak, and Bedivere nearly screamed. "I-It's you! I-I mean, y-yes you can, Your Great Majesty! B-but apparently the King is waging war against the Shadow Paladins even as we speak!"

"If that's so..."

"Arrggh!" Phantom Blaster Dragon yowled in pain as Blaster Blade sliced him. "Don't you know that your brother can feel my pain?" He yelled.

"Stop babbling!" Blade shouted.

All of a sudden, he heard a voice.

"Brother?"

"Blaster Dark, is that you?" Blade said.

"Yes, it is I. I was wrong. Now I know you really are my brother. But now you must help me."

"Where are you anyway?" Blade replied. He was hearing Blaster Dark, but he couldn't find him anywhere.

"I'm inside Phantom Blaster Dragon. To get me out, you need to use your sword. Use your skill to pull me out. I can't do it on my own. Our swords must work in concert so I can escape." Blaster Dark pleaded.

"Alright, brother. Wait a minute." To Phantom Blaster Dragon he said, "You're going down, big baby." With a war cry, he pointed his sword at the dragon, and a bolt of white lightning shot out. At the same time, a bolt of black lightning shot out of the dragon, meeting with Blade's bolt. The force of the impact sent Alfred and Phantom Blaster Dragon flying, pulling Blaster Dark out of him.

They met each other with a hug. The first thing Blaster Dark said was, "I'm sorry, Blade. I knew I should have joined you."

"Look out!" Alfred yelled.

A powerful bolt of energy appeared, aimed directly at the brothers. Blade and Dark jumped out of the way, just in time to see a huge figure loom over them.

"So this is what I see when I'm here? Betrayal?!" The dragon roared at Dark.

Blaster Dark was shaking. There was his Lord, and he couldn't do anything. Phantom Blaster Dragon's call could be heard throughout the entire battlefield:

"Behold! The lord of the Shadow Paladins! Phantom Blaster Overlord!"


	8. Chapter 8

Surprise! I know it took too long, but here's Chapter 8! It's getting increasingly difficult for me to write the next chapters because this week's our periodical test. But after it, surely I can write all day. Now, there are some things I need to say. First, I'm going to make a new book alongside this one, something about Blaster Blade. And second, I know you guys are reading this, but I need more reviews! It's what keeps me going, and the reviews are also fun to read! Can you please leave reviews for this one? Pretty please? Phantom Blaster Overlord might get angry!

**Chapter 8: The Trump Card: Phantom Blaster Overlord!**

Blaster Blade and Blaster Dark gaped at the gigantic figure towering over them. With the sun directly behind him, his red glowing eyes seemed to be the core of his burning, raging soul. His great black and gold wings, shadowing the battlefield, were lined with the same telltale streaks of sparkling blue that Blaster Blade and Blaster Dark also have.

In his right hand, a great double spear rested. Although it looked the same as Phantom Blaster Dragon's, his was a lot larger, and the handle sparkled with gold.

"That's one big dragon," Tristan announced loudly. His voice broke the silence. The black knights cheered, while the royal knights retreated to where Alfred was standing. They were all scared of the dragon.

Phantom Blaster Overlord, as Phantom Blaster Dragon had called him, advanced towards to the place where the two brothers were standing. Blaster Dark cowered with fear behind Blaster Blade, while Blade returned the dragon's baleful stare with his "royal glare". The dragon threw back his head and laughed.

"This is the first time I have seen a knight that is not afraid of me. Perhaps you haven't seen how terribly strong I am, huh?" He mocked Blaster Blade.

"I don't care who you are, or how strong you are. But if you are angry at my brother for some reason, then it is I who will ask for forgiveness." Blade coolly answered as he took one step forward. This reply of his changed Phantom Blaster Overlord's mood.

"You imbecile. You'd think I'll forgive your brother for betraying me?" To Blaster Dark he said, "You may lie to me, hurt me, or curse me, and you may still live after. But if you betray me, I will make sure that you will never walk on the face of the planet!" Phantom Blaster Overlord's voice could be heard throughout the entire field.

Blaster Blade took another step forward. "If you think I'll let you hurt my brother, then you're dead wrong." With a powerful leap, he sprang into the air in front of Blaster Overlord and gripped his sword tightly, preparing to swing it. But before he did, Overlord swatted him like a fly, sending him crashing into a boulder. He rolled off the stone, unconscious, with blood streaming down his head.

"Puny knights," Overlord scoffed.

"No one ever does that to my brother and gets away with it!" Blaster Dark yelled, his fear giving way to anger. With a war cry, he did the same thing Blade had done. However, instead of swatting him, he crushed Dark in an iron grip. Dark's sword slipped from his hands, which fell down to the earth like a stone.

"I'll crush the life out of you," Overlord sneered at Dark.

"Get your hands off my son!" Alfred screamed and launched himself into the air. Overlord sent him flying with a flick of his tail.

That moment, Nemain regained consciousness and saw Overlord crushing her future husband. She ran to Overlord's feet and knelt.

"Please, my Lord! Please forgive my love! I cannot live without him!" Nemain begged, while tears streaked down her face. Blood was dripping on her shoulder, and Blaster Dark screamed from above.

"Betrayal has only one punishment. Death!" Overlord remarked.

"N-Nemain… leave now… I c-cannot… bear to… s-see you... like t-this…" Blaster Dark managed, while blood dripped from his mouth.

"No! I will not leave you like this!" Nemain argued, the tears falling from her eyes.

"Leave now… N-Nemain… please?" Blaster Dark begged. Tears were beginning to form around his eyes.

All of a sudden, a familiar thunderbolt struck Overlord, and he loosened his grip on Dark, making him fall. Nemain reacted fast and caught him. Overlord roared with rage, looking for the source of the bolt. Overlord turned around to see who struck him.

There was Blaster Blade, his blade stuck in the ground, a trail of burnt grass tracing the path of the bolt. He was still a little bruised, but thanks to the magical power from his Blaster Blade, his wounds heal faster than a normal human's.

"That hurt, didn't it?" Blade smiled.

"You puny creature!" With a powerful flap of his wings, he took flight and charged at Blade.

"Uh-oh. Not good…" Blade said as he watched the speeding form of Phantom Blaster Overlord, hurtling at him. He turned to run, but…

"Gaaahh!" The target was hit, and the impact crushed Blade, sending him crashing into the ground, where he was half-buried. Phantom Blaster Overlord took his spear and aimed it at the white knight.

Blaster Blade turned around in spite of the sheer pain he was enduring, just in time to see the giant spear arcing down. He moved quickly and blocked the seemingly unstoppable attack with his sword. Sparks flew as the giant spear collided with the small sword. Blade was literally fighting for his life. If the spear made it to him, he will surely die.

Elaine had healed Alfred, while Nemain healed Blaster Dark. The battle had raged on, with no end in sight. Brigitte tried to pry the spear loose from Overlord's grip by shooting fireballs at him, but Overlord deflected the fireballs, scorching Brigitte.

"Nnngggh!" Blaster Blade grunted as the spear inched nearer to him. He was already exhausted, not to mention his wounds and fractures from Overlord's crushing tackle. Yet he continued to fight. His sword kept sliding nearer, nearer to his chest, while Overlord was babbling incoherently.

"Finally, I'll be able to destroy you, then there'll be no one to stop me from killing Blaster Dark!" Overlord cackled.

It was obvious that Overlord was leaning his full weight on the spear, but somehow, Blaster Blade was able to carry it. Elaine helped the King up a rocky knoll to see how Blaster Blade was doing, when they both saw the scene. The King struggled to stand up.

"Your Majesty! Please, take some rest! You're still weak!" Elaine said.

"That's my son right there! You think I'll just stay here and watch while he's being crushed?" Alfred yelled, emotions welling up inside him. Elaine didn't have the heart to stop him as he searched for his broadsword.

The sun had hidden behind a thick patch of clouds as Blaster Blade sunk deeper into the earth, Overlord's weight pushing him down. Blade had heard a whisper, but disregarded it as a hallucination.

Meanwhile, the stranger finally made it to the battlefield with Bedivere. The sight was awful. Most of the Royal Paladins were already weakened, and the Shadow Paladins were just beating them up.

"Alright. Where's Alfred?" The stranger asked.

Bedivere looked round and spotted the King hulking about on the edge of a cliff. He seemed to be looking for something. Behind him, a great black dragon was leaning on a white knight. He was about to tell the stranger what he saw when he felt a strange tingle on his skin, as if the air around suddenly became charged. He turned around and to his surprise, the stranger who was with him was glowing brightly. Even the stranger looked amazed.

"Well, well! This hasn't happened in a few decades, at least! It seems that the two powerful forces are near each other, and their relative closeness is beckoning to me!"

"Uh, Your Great Majesty, pardon me but, what do you mean?" Bedivere asked.

"Think of it as two magnets, sir knight. The north and south poles are near each other, and as you know, opposite poles attract each other. In this case, I am the force that can bring the two forces together."

"But, exactly what kind of forces are you talking about, Your Great Majesty?"

"You shall know soon enough. But for now, let us divert our attention to that poor knight. For some strange reason, he seems kinda familiar…"

The white knight of courage fought for his life as the dragon of infinite darkness kept him pinned down. There was a slim chance that he could get out of this mess. _There's no one here that's strong enough to help me_, Blaster Blade thought.

"We've got to do something for Blade!" Epona screamed.

"Yeah, but what?" Gordon asked.

"That dragon's too strong for us," Brigitte commented, bandaging his open wound with clean linen from Stardust Trumpeter.

When he saw the painful and cruel trial his brother had been put into, Blaster Dark literally hurled himself down the cliff, Nemain following close behind. He landed with a less-than-painful thud on the ground, while his fiancé lowered herself down using her hex powers. She was by Dark's side in a second. "Are you hurt?" Nemain cautiously helped him stand up.

"N-no, I'm fine," Dark lied. He didn't want to cause more trouble.

"Do we really have to help that arrogant knight? He's an opponent, right?"

"Yeah, but he saved my life twice, and he's also my brother."

"Your brother?" Nemain asked incredulously.

"I'll explain later. But for now, helping my brother will be our top priority." Blaster Dark stood up on his own and gripped his sword. He felt the familiar surge of dark power filling him, energizing him until he felt fresh. Nemain did the same, and absorbed the dark energy flowing within her magical skull which she always brought with her.

With Nemain behind him, he literally threw himself straight at his Lord. At the same time, King Alfred found his Broadsword and did a Geronimo leap, aiming straight at Phantom Blaster Overlord. From the other side, Wingal and his hastily-acquired team of High Beasts were charging at the same dragon. And from above, the stranger, wielding his glowing, transparent sword, did a complete somersault in the air as he prepared to slash at Overlord.

All of them were intent on freeing Blaster Blade of his heavy burden. The dragon was unable to block the incoming attacks, and when the attacks hit, he stumbled backward and lost grip of his spear.

"All right! We've got him!" Alfred cheered.

"But he'll recover soon enough," Wingal said.

"Then let's not give him time to do so!" Flogal barked. At this statement, they flocked towards the recovering dragon, beating him up until he couldn't stand anymore.

Blaster Dark helped Blade stand up, while Alfred and Wingal's team continued battering the dragon. Finally, They ceased beating him and regrouped with Blaster Blade and Blaster Dark. "Are you guys ok?" Alfred asked.

"We're fine, dad," both of them answered in chorus. This sent a mild laughter from Alfred and his two sons. Nemain was now more confused than ever. She was about to ask more information from Dark when the stranger landed a few feet from their group, attempting a cool entrance, but the dusty, rocky plain had other ideas, making him slip and sent up a plume of smoke in the process.

Alfred and his friends couldn't help but laugh at the misfortune this funny stranger just befell in front of them. Meanwhile, hearing the knight's laughter, he blushed and quickly stood up to polished his armor.

"Oh, the damned dust!" He cursed loudly. He turned around to face them.

Blaster Blade, Blaster Dark, Nemain, Wingal and Alfred started at the voice of the stranger. Alfred's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as he recognized his father. Blaster Blade and Blaster Dark did a double take as they saw their grandfather standing in front of them. Wingal nearly let out a scream as he saw the man that everyone praised. Even Nemain seemed to have an inkling of who he was, and took a step back while she covered her open mouth with the back of her hand.

All of them said the same thing at the same time.

"Majesty Lord Blaster?!"


End file.
